[Jonty30]

I don’t know why people would pay that much, unless there is some way to use the material.

[Robert DeLong]

Because they are rare, period. Most anything rare is valuable, to someone. 8>)

[RandallFlagg]

I’m guessing that it’s because an asteroid floating through space for who knows how many miles and centuries is liable to have something interesting impacted into it, and the scientists who discover it would be famous.